Alex Harvey

As Scotland's answer to English proto-Rock 'n' Roller Tommy Steele, Alex Harvey switched to R and B in the late 50s, building a following araound Glasgow and Edinburgh with The Alex Harvey Soul Band and backing visiting US stars Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent.

After his residency in Hamburg (hence 1963's live Alex Harvey And His Soul Band), he recorded 1964's The Blues with brother Leslie, formed Blues Council and flirted with Psychedelia in Giant Moth- rewarded by a job in the house band for the musical Hair. More of his ill-fated ventures included 1969's Roman Wall Blues, until he devised The Sensational Alex Harvey Band in 1972. His theatrical shows, notable for guitarist Zal Cleminson's clown-like make-up paid off when The Impossible Dream (1974) and a melodramatic 1975 cover of Tom Jones' 'Delilah' were followed up charts by 1975's Tomorrow Belongs Tom Me, then The Sensational Alex Harvey Band Live and 1976's Penthouse Tapes and SAHB Stories.

After retiring from hell-raising in 1977, Harvey released the solo album The Mafia Stole My Guitar (1979) and toured sporadically until his death from a heart attack in 1981.